Euro 2024 is now officially underway, with 24 nations dreaming of glory in Germany this summer.
The 17th edition of UEFA's continental championship takes place over exactly a month, from June 14 to July 14, with Italy heading into the tournament hoping to defend the trophy they won at Wembley three years ago.
While West Germany hosted the 1988 event, it will be the first time Germany has staged the Euros since reunification, and the 2006 World Cup hosts are renowned for putting on a great show.
Here, Sports Mole explains how Europe's festival of football will work - and which nations are among the favourites to prevail on 14 July.
When did the tournament kick off?
Friday, June 14 saw the first ball kicked in a month-long event, and as the host nation, Germany are seeded in Group A so played the opening match.
With the eyes of the world upon them, Scotland's Tartan Army marched on Munich for the opening game of Euro 2024, only to be hammered 5-1 at the start of a group stage that runs until 26 June.
Then, following two rest days, the 16-team knockout stage begins on 29 June, with that last-16 phase running until July 2.
The first fallow days of the tournament then follow, with no games scheduled on July 3 or fourth, before the quarter-finals take place on July 6 and 7.
The semi-finals are booked in for July 9 and 10, before the champions of Europe will be crowned in Berlin on July 14.
How will it work?
As in the delayed 2020 finals, the top two in each of six groups will proceed to the knockout phase this summer, along with the four best third-placed finishers.
Specific match-ups in the last 16 will depend on which third-placed teams qualify, so mapping out a potential route to the final can prove tricky.
In the knockout rounds, games that are level at the end of 90 minutes go to extra time; if still tied after another 30 minutes, the match is then decided by a penalty shootout.
As with every championship since Euro 1984, there is to be no third-place playoff, so only two teams will be left standing after the semi-finals.
Group A
Germany
Previous Euros: 13*, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1972*, 1980*, 1996)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Hosts
Manager: Julian Nagelsmann
Fixtures: Denmark (June 29)
Results: Germany 5-1 Scotland (June 14); Germany 2-0 Hungary (June 19); Switzerland 1-1 Germany (June 23)
* = including as West Germany
Scotland
Previous Euros: Three, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Group stage (1992, 1996, 2020)
Euro 2020: Group stage
Qualification: Group A runners-up
Manager: Steve Clarke
Results: Germany 5-1 Scotland (June 14); Scotland 1-1 Switzerland (June 19); Scotland 0-1 Hungary (June 23)
Hungary
Previous Euros: Four, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Third (1964)
Euro 2020: Group stage
Qualification: Group G winners
Manager: Marco Rossi
Results: Hungary 1-3 Switzerland (June 15); Germany 2-0 Hungary (June 19); Scotland 0-1 Hungary (June 23)
Switzerland
Previous Euros: Five, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Quarter-finals (2020)
Euro 2020: Quarter-finals
Qualification: Group I runners-up
Manager: Murat Yakin
Fixtures: Italy (June 29)
Results: Hungary 1-3 Switzerland (June 15); Scotland 1-1 Switzerland (June 29); Switzerland 1-1 Germany (June 23)
Group B
Spain
Previous Euros: 11, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1964, 2008, 2012)
Euro 2020: Semi-finals
Qualification: Group A winners
Manager: Luis de la Fuente
Fixtures: Georgia (June 30)
Results: Spain 3-0 Croatia (June 15); Spain 1-0 Italy (June 20); Albania 0-1 Spain (June 24)
Croatia
Previous Euros: Six, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Quarter-finals (1996, 2008)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Group D runners-up
Manager: Zlatko Dalic
Results: Spain 3-0 Croatia (June 15); Croatia 2-2 Albania (June 19); Croatia 1-1 Italy (June 24)
Italy
Previous Euros: 10, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1968, 2020)
Euro 2020: Winners
Qualification: Group C runners-up
Manager: Luciano Spalletti
Fixtures: Switzerland (June 29)
Results: Italy 2-1 Albania (June 15); Spain 1-0 Italy (June 20); Croatia 1-1 Italy (June 24)
Albania
Previous Euros: One, Euro 2016
Best result: Group stage (2016)
Euro 2020: Did not qualify
Qualification: Group E winners
Manager: Sylvinho
Results: Italy 2-1 Albania (June 15), Croatia 2-2 Albania (June 19); Albania 0-1 Spain (June 24)
Group C
Slovenia
Previous Euros: One, Euro 2000
Best result: Group stage (2000)
Euro 2020: Did not qualify
Qualification: Group H runners-up
Manager: Matjaz Kek
Fixtures: Portugal (July 1)
Results: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark (June 16); Slovenia 1-1 Serbia (June 20); England 0-0 Slovenia (June 25)
Denmark
Previous Euros: Nine, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1992)
Euro 2020: Semi-finals
Qualification: Group H winners
Manager: Kasper Hjulmand
Fixtures: Germany (June 29)
Results: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark (June 16); Denmark 1-1 England (June 20); Denmark 0-0 Serbia (June 25)
Serbia
Previous Euros: Five*, most recently Euro 2000
Best result: Runners-up (1960*, 1968*)
Euro 2020: Did not qualify
Qualification: Group G runners-up
Manager: Dragan Stojkovic
Results: Serbia 0-1 England (June 16); Slovenia 1-1 Serbia (June 20); Denmark 0-0 Serbia (June 25)
* = including as Yugoslavia
England
Previous Euros: 10, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Runners-up (2020)
Euro 2020: Runners-up
Qualification: Group C winners
Manager: Gareth Southgate
Fixtures: Slovakia (June 30)
Results: Serbia 0-1 England (June 16); Denmark 1-1 England; England 0-0 Slovenia (June 25)
Group D
Poland
Previous Euros: Four, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Quarter-finals (2016)
Euro 2020: Group stage
Qualification: Playoff Path A winners
Manager: Michal Probierz
Results: Poland 1-2 Netherlands (June 16); Poland 1-3 Austria (June 21); France 1-1 Poland (June 25)
Netherlands
Previous Euros: 10, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1988)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Group B runners-up
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Fixtures: Romania (July 2)
Results: Poland 1-2 Netherlands (June 16); Netherlands 0-0 France (June 21); Netherlands 2-3 Austria (June 25)
Austria
Previous Euros: Three, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Last 16 (2020)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Group F runners-up
Manager: Ralf Rangnick
Fixtures: Turkey (July 2)
Results: Austria 0-1 France (June 17); Poland 1-3 Austria (June 21); Netherlands 2-3 Austria (June 25)
France
Previous Euros: 10, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1984, 2000)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Group B winners
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Fixtures: Belgium (July 1)
Results: Austria 0-1 France (June 17); Netherlands 0-0 France (June 21); France 1-1 Poland (June 25)
Group E
Belgium
Previous Euros: Six, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Runners-up (1980)
Euro 2020: Quarter-finals
Qualification: Group F winners
Manager: Domenico Tedesco
Fixtures: France (July 1)
Results: Belgium 0-1 Slovakia (June 17); Belgium 2-0 Romania (June 22); Ukraine 0-0 Belgium (June 26)
Slovakia
Previous Euros: Five*, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1976*)
Euro 2020: Group stage
Qualification: Group J runners-up
Manager: Francesco Calzona
Fixtures: England (June 30)
Results: Belgium 0-1 Slovakia (June 17); Slovakia 1-2 Ukraine (June 21); Slovakia 1-1 Romania (June 26)
* = including as Czechoslovakia
Romania
Previous Euros: Five, most recently Euro 2016
Best result: Quarter-finals (2000)
Euro 2020: Did not qualify
Qualification: Group I winners
Manager: Edward Iordanescu
Fixtures: Netherlands (July 2)
Results: Romania 3-0 Ukraine (June 17); Belgium 2-0 Romania (June 22); Slovakia 1-1 Romania (June 26)
Ukraine
Previous Euros: Three, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Quarter-finals (2020)
Euro 2020: Quarter-finals
Qualification: Playoff Path B winners
Manager: Serhiy Rebrov
Results: Romania 3-0 Ukraine (June 17); Slovakia 1-2 Ukraine (June 21); Ukraine 0-0 Belgium (June 26)
Group F
Turkey
Previous Euros: Five, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Semi-finals (2008)
Euro 2020: Group stage
Qualification: Group D winners
Manager: Vincenzo Montella
Fixtures: Austria (July 2)
Results: Turkey 3-1 Georgia (June 18); Turkey 0-3 Portugal (June 22); Czech Republic 1-2 Turkey (June 26)
Georgia
Previous Euros: None
Best result: N/A
Euro 2020: Did not qualify
Qualification: Playoff Path C winners
Manager: Willy Sagnol
Fixtures: Spain (July 30)
Results: Turkey 3-1 Georgia (June 18); Georgia 1-1 Czech Republic (June 22); Georgia 2-0 Portugal (June 26)
Portugal
Previous Euros: Eight, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (2016)
Euro 2020: Last 16
Qualification: Group J winners
Manager: Roberto Martinez
Fixtures: Slovenia (July 1)
Results: Portugal 2-1 Czech Republic (June 18); Turkey 0-3 Portugal (June 22); Georgia 2-0 Portugal (June 26)
Czech Republic
Previous Euros: 10*, most recently Euro 2020
Best result: Winners (1976*)
Euro 2020: Quarter-finals
Qualification: Group E runners-up
Manager: Ivan Hasek
Results: Portugal 2-1 Czech Republic (June 18); Georgia 1-1 Czech Republic (June 22); Czech Republic 1-2 Turkey (June 26)
*= including as Czechoslovakia
Who are the Euro 2024 favourites? Who might win the Golden Boot?
After the identity of all 24 teams was confirmed following the playoffs, England were quickly installed as favourites to go one better than in 2021, while most bookmakers have France and hosts Germany among the front-runners too.
Iberian rivals Spain and Portugal sit just behind that top trio, with reigning champions Italy joining Belgium and the Netherlands among the longer shots for continental glory.
En route to the finals, six teams stayed unbeaten through qualifying - France, England, Portugal, Belgium, Romania and Hungary - and the Portuguese squad of Roberto Martinez was the only one to have won every match.
The Selecao wrapped up their group having scored 36 goals and conceded just two, but the overall top scorer was Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who racked up 14 goals in just eight games.
Cristiano Ronaldo (10), Kylian Mbappe (nine), Harry Kane (eight) and Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund (seven) were left trailing in his wake, but all four could be in contention for the European Championship's Golden Boot in July.
What other notable names will be appearing?
The goal-getters listed above will likely again steal most of the headlines throughout the tournament, with Cristiano Ronaldo already guaranteed to make history going into a sixth European Championship and Kylian Mbappe set to become Real Madrid's latest Galactico after the tournament.
There are plenty of other legendary figures set to grace this summer's Euros, though, not least amongst the host nation, with Toni Kroos having confirmed that he will retire from football after the tournament.
It would not be a huge surprise to see fellow centurions Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller also playing their last Euros, while Kroos's great midfield partner at club level Luka Modric will surely bid farewell to this stage too.
Forty-one-year-old Pepe will have his last dance on the international scene with Portugal too, and unsurprisingly he will be the oldest player due to appear at the finals after Scotland cut goalkeeper Craig Gordon from their final selection.
At the other end of the scale, France's 18-year-old forward Warren Zaire-Emery will look to become the latest in a long line of youngsters to truly announce themselves on the biggest stage, while England boast some notable youngsters of their own.
It is Spain's Lamine Yamal who is set to make yet another slice of history, though; if the Barcelona starlet plays in Germany - which he likely will - then he would become the youngest player ever seen at the European Championship, with his 17th birthday not coming until the day before the final.
The venues
Nine of the stadiums used at Germany 2006 will see action this summer, in addition to the Dusseldorf Arena, with Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena having also played a part in hosting the continent-wide finals of Euro 2020.
Three years ago, the Bavarian venue could only welcome a reduced number of spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions, but it will surely be full to the brim this time around.
The atmospheric Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund's famed 'yellow wall', will also host several group games, plus a last-16 tie and one of the semi-finals.
Major cities such as Bremen and Monchengladbach were left out, but the 10 selected stadia are spread across all the main regions of Germany.
Full list of venues for Euro 2024:
Berlin: Olympiastadion (70,000 capacity)
Cologne: Cologne Stadium (47,000)
Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (66,000)
Dusseldorf: Dusseldorf Arena (47,000)
Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (48,000)
Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000)
Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (50,000)
Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (42,000)
Munich: Munich Football Arena (67,000)
Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (54,000)
The final
Bringing a month of relentless competition to its climax, Berlin's Olympiastadion plays host to the Euro 2024 final on Sunday, July 14.
The cavernous stadium has already hosted several significant matches in football history, including during the 1974 and 2006 World Cups - notably the latter's epic final, between Italy and France.
More recently, it served as a venue for the 2011 Women's World Cup and the 2015 Champions League final that pitted Barcelona against Juventus.
On this occasion, the Euro winners will not only lift the trophy and be crowned kings of the continent, but they will also go on to compete with the Copa America champions for the 2025 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, in a contest more commonly known as 'the Finalissima'.
body check tags ::
